Antebellum BK 1 (7 page)

She shrugged. “If they’re already gone, it hardly matters, but I love New Orleans and think of it as home.”

“
I always wanted to see them French girls in New Orleans that show what’s under their skirts.”

“
Your cultural appetite is underwhelming.”

“
Jack and them’s headed for Galveston with two teams pullin’ two heavy wagons. I know a shortcut that wagons can’t take. If we leave now, with two remounts each, we can be waitin’ for ‘em in Galveston when they get there.”

“
Why would you do that, Josiah?”

“
I told you, Marina. I like yer company. And it’d do me good to see you happy again.”

She looked up into his face, then at the rising sun. “Well then, let’s go.”

September 3, 1848

Galveston, Texas

A
huge tropical storm was raging outside and the vast, chandelier-lighted lobby of the Hotel Menard was crowded, hot and almost noisy enough to drown out the sound of the wind-driven rain, the rolling thunder and the pounding surf. Jack and Clementine were standing at the registration desk. Jack was trying to convince the desk clerk that they had wired in advance for a reservation and Clementine was tugging at his sleeve. He glowered at her. “Just a minute, Clem. Can’t you see I’m busy?”

She continued to pull on his sleeve.

“
What?” he asked angrily.

She pointed across the lobby toward the well-appointed dining room. “Your mother wants you.”

“
My what? My mother?” He turned around to look and saw Marina beckon. She was sitting alone at a table, wearing a stylish, green velvet dress with a big feathered hat and she looked like all the other fashionable ladies of Galveston. “Well, I’ll be damned.” Turning his back on the clerk, Jack took Clementine’s arm and led her across the lobby into the dining room. “What are you doing here, Mother?”

“
Sit down, Jack,” Marina said.

He looked over his shoulder. “I have to find us a room. The whole town is full to the brim because the bad weather’s stopped all the steamers from sailing.”

“
I have two suites,” she said. “Both suites have two bedrooms. Unless you’ve picked up someone along the way, that’s more room than we need. Where’s your brother?”

“
Sending a telegram to New Orleans to alert the Army of our delay.” He pulled out a chair for Clementine, then seated her and took the chair opposite Marina’s. “How did you get here?”

“
On horseback, of course.”

“
Alone?”

“
No. Josiah Whipple was with me, but there was a wire waiting for him here advising him that William had been seen in Beaumont. He turned around and left right away.”

“
How is it that you ended up with two suites?” Clementine asked.

Marina shrugged. “I knew that you were coming and when the storm was predicted I knew that rooms would soon be scarce, so I booked another suite.”

Clementine was horrified. “Two suites in a fancy hotel like this must cost a stinkin’ fortune.”

“
Mother has more money than she can ever spend,” Jack said dismissively.

“
You never told me that,” Clementine complained.

“
What difference does it make?” he asked.

Clementine shrugged. “I don’t know. It just seems like you should have told me that your family’s rich before you asked me to marry you.”

Jack grinned. “If I had told you, would you have still married me?”

“
I don’t know,” Clementine said seriously. “I’ve never much cared for rich folks.”

As a thought suddenly occurred to him, Jack turned back quickly to his mother. “Four bedrooms? Is one of them for Josiah?”

“
Yes. If he comes back before we sail.” Marina looked puzzled. “What of it?”

“
I don’t know. I guess it seems wrong for you to be sharing a suite with a man so soon after Dad died.”

“
It’s a suite not a bed.”

“
It’s disrespectful to Dad, none-the-less.”

Marina laughed out loud. “Who do you think you are? Hamlet?”

“
Who’s Hamlet?” Clementine asked.

“
Never mind,” Jack said. “I’ve said my piece, Mother.”

“
Noted.” Marina handed him a key. “I’ll be up as soon as I can pick up a man.”

Clementine looked at Jack, expecting an explosion.

“
She’s only tormenting me,” Jack said. He got up and stood behind Clementine’s chair to pull it out for her.

“
Good night sweet prince,” Marina said. “And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”

“
I don’t understand you people,” Clementine complained as she got to her feet. “Hell. I don’t even understand what y’all are talkin’ about, half the time.”

Jack looked into the lobby and saw Robert who was hanging his foul-weather jacket on the coat tree. He raised his hand and waved.

Robert saw him, waved back and then gave his mother a puzzled look.

“
You explain the arrangements to him,” Marina said to Jack. “I’m weary of the subject.”

Jack nodded and waited for Robert to join them. “Mother came down here with Josiah but he’s gone off to chase our dear brother. In the meantime, mother has booked us into suites.”

“
Capital,” Robert said. “Because we’re going to be here through Christmas.”

“
What?” Jack asked. “Here? In Galveston?”

Robert nodded. “New orders. We’re to establish a post here and raise a battalion. You’re the C.O. and I’m your X.O. Funds will be wired to the local bank in the next day or so. Uniforms, weapons and equipment will be shipped to us on the next available steamer.”

“
What’s the purpose of this new battalion?”

“
To defend the port of Galveston, of course.”

“
From what?” The expression on Jack’s face was pure bewilderment.

Robert shrugged. “Anything that threatens it, I suppose. The orders came from the Secretary of the Army. Perhaps there’s concern about secession.”

“
Or pirates,” Jack said hopefully.

“
I thought I was gonna get to see California,” Clementine complained. “Then it was New Orleans. Now here I am, back on the stinkin’ Gulf of Mexico, right where I started from.”

Marina smiled at Clementine. “Welcome to the life of an Army wife.” She waved at the passing waiter.

“
Another cocktail, madam?” the man asked.

“
Yes,” Marina said. “Gin. Make this one a double, please.”

~

Clementine spun in a circle. “I never in my whole life thought I’d ever see a place so grand as this one.” She threw open the doors to the master bedroom. “Lord love a duck. Ten people could sleep in that bed.”

Jack chuckled and crossed the bedroom to open the door to the bathroom. “Take your clothes off.”

“
Huh?” She followed him as far as the door and gaped. “Our own private tub?”

“
With hot and cold running water.” He turned on the taps and adjusted the flow. “Get naked and let me bathe you.”

“
Oh damn right,” she said, turning her back to him. “Un-do me.”

He began working on the buttons and nuzzled her hair. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

She pulled away and turned to face him. “Do you really?”

“
Of course.”

“
I didn’t know how ignorant I am, ‘till lately. I was just wonderin’ how long it was gonna take for you to notice.”

“
I’d hardly call you ignorant, Clem. Your grammar’s a little rough and perhaps you’ve never read Shakespeare, but that by no means makes you ignorant.”

“
I need you to promise me somethin’, Jack.”

“
What?”

“
When I say somethin’ that sounds ignorant, tell me.”

“
Are you sure?”

“
Yes.”

“
It won’t make you angry?”

“
It might, but I’ll do my best to hide it.”

“
Turn around.”

“
You ain’t – you haven’t promised.”

“
I promise. Turn around and let me finish those buttons before the tub overflows.”

She turned her back to him and held her hair up off her neck. “I really can speak good English. I’ve just lost the habit. I only need a little remindin’.”

“
First lesson: stop dropping your Gs.”

“
My whats?”

“
You said remindin’ instead of reminding.” He slipped the dress off her shoulders, let it fall around her ankles and reached around to cover her breasts with his hands. “I don’t know how to unfasten this contraption.”

She pulled away and began tugging at the laces on her bustier. “I’ll give you lessons some other time. Get your own-self undressed and hurry up about it. I’m about as randy as a two-peckered goat.”

September 24, 1848

Galveston, Texas

T
he saloon in the Hotel Menard was nearly as lavishly furnished as the dining room. Had it been located anywhere else, Josiah Whipple’s rough and dusty attire would have been completely out of place, but in Texas, it was perfectly appropriate. “Here’s to you, Marina.” Whipple raised his glass.

“
And to you, Josiah.” Marina swallowed her drink and signaled for another.

“
Are you okay?”

“
No.” She shook her head.

“
What’s wrong?”

“
I hate getting old.”

“
What makes you think that goin’ t’ Mexico’s gonna make you any younger?”

“
In Mexico I won’t have to tolerate my children or their spouses.”

“
I thought you liked Clem,” he said.

“
I liked her better before I got to know her. She’s practically illiterate.”

“
So am I.”

“
I never said that I liked you.” She waved impatiently at the waiter.

Whipple waited until she had her fresh drink before speaking again. “So yer really goin’, all alone?”

“
Yes. I’m leaving for Brownsville on the morning stage.”

“
Wish I could talk y’ outta it.”

“
Why don’t you come with me?”

“
Can’t. William ain’t in Mexico now.”

“
You’re here and he’s not. What’s the difference if you’re in Mexico and he’s not?”

“
Maybe he’s not here, but he’s close to here.”

“
What makes you think so?”

“
He shot a man over to Beaumont about a week ago and they said he was ridin’ east when he left.”

“
We’re west of Beaumont.”

“
I know. That’s how come I’m here and not in Louisiana.” He watched her face until she squirmed. “When did you see him?”

She hesitated another moment, then sighed. “Three days ago.”

“
Shit.” Whipple ran his fingers through his thinning hair. “Was you ever gonna tell me?”

“
Probably. After a couple more of these.” She tossed off the cocktail and signaled the waiter.

“
Is he still here?”

“
No.”

“
You wouldn’t lie to me, would you Marina?”

“
Of course I’d lie to you, Josiah. But I’m not lying right now. He’s not here. I saw him to the port.”

He sat back in his chair. “He left by steamer?”

“
Yes.”

“
For where?”

“
I don’t know.”

“
Marina,” he said in a warning tone.

“
I really don’t,” she insisted. “The steamer’s final destination was St. Louis, but he could have gotten off anywhere or gone on to points beyond.”